Donny

Behind the accolades was a man navigating unimaginable grief. Following the sudden and tragic suicide of his de facto partner, Karen, in early 2000, Todd Maguire spiralled into a period of deep emotional turmoil and self-destruction. Numbed by pain and guilt, he turned to alcohol, drugs and high-risk undercover work as a way of coping or perhaps escaping altogether. In a classic plot twist from the norm of suicide by cop, this cop wanted the crooks to end the pain for him.

That's when Donny Wilson was born. Donny wasn't just an alias; he was a new skin, a shield, a way to survive. He was Todd, in a trench coat, with a dodgy haircut and a badge, living life on the edge.

Over the following two years, Donny embedded himself within dangerous criminal organisations, willingly placing his life on the line in search of redemption or even a final release. As he got deeper into Queensland's criminal underworld, he was forced to confront not only the darkness around him but also the darkness within, battling demons of guilt, grief, and a heart gone cold.

This book isn't a guide to getting life right in a few simple steps-it's a raw, honest account of how badly it can go when you don't, thrown in with a bit of humour. A map of missteps. Rather, it's a reminder that even when you lose yourself, it's still possible to claw something back.

This is a story about how quickly life can turn-the highs and lows, the heartbreaks, the laughs, the near misses, and the tiny wins that keep you going.